El Zorro Y El Trueno: Parte 1
by Ariana de la Vega
Summary: Disney Series: what if Ricardo Del Amo Decided that Zorro didn't have such a bad idea?


El Zorro Y El Trueno  
Parte 1  
  
Ricardo walked through the empty city. It was an extremely hot day,  
so everyone was inside, except for him. He had been wondering around the  
city all day just thinking. It really bothered him that Diego would not  
just leave. What was so special about Diego? Why did it seem like  
Anna Maria liked him better. Why was Diego better than he was? Better  
liked, better at being a gentleman, better at... stealing the love of a mans  
life. That was the part that bothered Ricardo the most. Did Diego not know  
that Anna Maria was the love of Ricardo's life? Ever since the day he saw  
her, he knew that she was *the one*. She was not just another pretty face,  
or a nice girl, she was a conquest. This was the kind of woman that men  
wrote songs or poems about. There were times that it was as if the sun set  
only for her, and in colors that would match her beautiful face and whatever  
she was wearing that day. And Ricardo was certain that the sun rose every  
day only for her, and he knew that the sun would never rise again if  
anything ever happened to her. He loved meeting her every morning if only  
to gaze into her beautiful eyes wishing they would look at him with the  
affection that he sees in them when she sees Diego or so much as mentions El  
Zorro, the masked marauder. Pain in the ass is more like it, Ricardo  
thought to himself. If there was anyone that he wanted to just go away, it  
was Zorro. At least he could serve as competition with Diego, but no man  
could ever compete with Zorro. Unless... no, that wouldn't work either.  
Ricardo had done everything he could to counter Zorro. He had tried dueling  
him, getting him to give up, and had considered killing him once or twice,  
but knew that Anna Maria would never get over the death of Zorro. But there  
was one more thing he could try, become like Zorro. He could be El Trueno,  
or the Thunder. He even had a costume all planned out. It would be a lot  
like Zorro's costume, only in gray or white. He did not think about the  
fact that he would have to blend with the night, he just wanted to make  
Zorro look bad, that was his ultimate goal. And a consolation prize would  
be unmasking the great Zorro.   
  
Ricardo turned the corner only to find Diego and Anna Maria taking  
under an overhang. They looked so comfortable with each other, so happy. A  
passer by would probably assume that they were lovers, and that was what  
bothered Ricardo. She was rightfully his, or so Ricardo thought. Sure,  
Anna Maria and Diego have known each other since they were children, but  
Diego had been gone for three years, and Ricardo had gotten to Monterey and  
her first. It just didn't seem fair. Ricardo quietly inched closer as to  
eavesdrop on Diego and Anna Maria.  
  
"But Zorro hasn't been seen for a couple of days, are you sure he's  
still around?" Diego asked.  
  
Anna Maria giggled a little, "Of course he is still here. He  
promised that he would stay around as long as Monterey needed his help, and I  
would think that Monterey needs his help now more than ever." She had a  
determined look in her eyes as she grew more serious. "Don Fernando De La  
Zuniga is going to destroy Monterey the first chance he has, and you and your  
father have done all you can. He is the richest man in California, and he  
is the most evil as well. He has his mind made up, and now you and your  
father are top on his list of enemies. He will try to do something to both  
of you to make sure you are out of the way, and Zorro will be here to  
protect you."   
  
"You really think he would try something?" Diego asked, also  
growing serious.   
  
"I don't think, I know. He is an evil man, and I feel responsible  
that you are in danger now." Her expression turned from determined to sad.  
  
"It is not your fault. We would have done something whether you  
said anything or not." Diego tried to assure her as he placed a comforting  
hand on her shoulder.  
  
"But I insisted, I pushed you to do it." Her voice started to waver  
as she spoke, she was genuinely concerned for her friend and his father.  
  
"No, you did nothing of the sort. And besides, as you said, Zorro  
will be here to protect us. Do not worry, Anna Maria. And please don't  
cry." Diego lifted her head to get her to look him in the eyes.  
  
"You're right." She smiled, "Zorro will be here." She pulled Diego  
into a hug.  
  
Ricardo noticed Diego wince a little when she hugged him, and that  
struck Ricardo as very strange. Diego was a peaceful man. It took quite a  
bit to get him riled up, a special talent of Ricardo's, but even when he was  
angry, he was quick to calm. Ricardo thought maybe he was sick, but that  
was not that kind of wince, Diego was injured... but from what? Ricardo  
also wondered if Anna Maria noticed too.  
  
"Diego, are you hurt?" She looked at him, very worried.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing, I tripped over something this morning and hit my  
shoulder. It's still a bit sore, that's all." Diego rubbed his shoulder a  
little and smiled.  
  
Ricardo could see that it wasn't the truth, at least, not the entire  
truth, but it was a good lie... except for the fact that Diego wasn't very  
clumsy. A little simple at times, but not clumsy.  
  
"You're not the kind of man that just trips over things, Diego."  
Apparently, Anna Maria was thinking the same thing.  
  
"Everyone trips at least once in their life. I didn't get much  
sleep last night and must have left a book on the floor because I tripped  
over it this morning. I do have clumsy moments." Diego laughed a little.  
  
"Well, I can't argue with that." She laughed too.  
  
Ricardo thought to himself that Diego was a great liar, but he knew  
that there was something else to this. Something was wrong here, but what?  
  
  
Diego looked past Anna Maria and saw Ricardo, "Ricardo, what are you  
doing over there?" Diego asked.  
  
Anna Maria looked over to Ricardo and smiled, "Probably spying on  
us." She giggled a little.  
  
"Oh, of course. Because I am always the bad guy." Ricardo said a  
bit to harshly. He was not in the mood to be pestered by Diego or  
Anna Maria.  
  
"Oh, come now. You're not always the bad guy. Just more often then  
not." Diego joked.  
  
"Very funny, Diego. And what if I said I challenge you to a duel?"  
Ricardo's mouth was now way ahead of his brain.  
  
Diego looked shocked, "What? Ricardo, what are you talking about?  
We are not rivals. There is no reason to fight."  
  
"Si, there is." Ricardo looked at Anna Maria.  
  
"What, me? You want to fight over me?" Anna Maria was stunned,  
"Have you lost your mind?"  
  
"That's just what I was going to ask." Diego walked over to  
Ricardo, very concerned for his friend.  
  
"I am feeling fine. And I challenge you to a duel."   
  
"Ricardo, you know Diego does not fight." Anna Maria said.  
  
"He will or he will risk his honor." Ricardo answered.  
  
"You have lost your mind. This is just stupid." Anna Maria got up  
and took Diego by the arm, "Come on, Diego, were going to let Ricardo cool  
off for a while. He's been in the sun too long." She looked at Ricardo,  
"And when you are ready to act like a human being, and not challenge your  
friend, then we can talk." She stomped off with Diego in tow as she pulled  
him by his injured shoulder. Diego quickly followed as to not injure his  
shoulder further.  
  
Ricardo's mind finally caught up with his mouth, "What did I just  
do?" Ricardo walked over to the under hang that Diego and Anna Maria were  
previously under and sat down. "Maybe I have been in the sun too long.  
Diego is so out of practice, there is no way he could ever beat me. I don't  
want to kill my best friend, do I? All over a girl?" Ricardo put his head  
in his hands, "It is way to hot out, I need a drink." Ricardo stood and  
headed for the cantina. As he entered, he ordered a glass of wine and sat  
down. A couple of tables behind him, he could hear a pair of men talking.  
He started to listen when he heard the name De La Vega.  
  
"We are to get them out of the way tonight. And that Verdugo woman,  
she has to go too. They are all in the way. If we do not get rid of them  
tonight, Don Fernando is going to have our hides." The first man said.  
  
"But how does he want us to do it again?" The second man asked.  
  
"Well, you know how Zorro has been causing trouble for Don Fernando,  
right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"We are going to dress you up as Zorro and you are going to tie them  
all up in the abandoned mine just outside of Monterey and then we will set  
off the charges that we set this morning. The mine will collapse in on them,  
and that will be the end of that."  
  
Why do people tell their plans in public places, Ricardo asked  
himself. It just didn't sound logical, but he was happy that he had over  
heard it. Ricardo decided that he could not leave this up to the illusive  
Zorro, he would have to take care of this himself. He got up and left the  
cantina heading for his home. He was going to save his friends tonight, and  
he would not need any help from Zorro. Tonight, El Trueno would ride for  
the first time.  
  



End file.
